Page 15 of The Nanny and the Don
She would be happy here too if she could only decide to stay on her own.
I wasn’t ready to give her that choice. Who the hell would willingly stay in a place where they had been kept against their will?
Who the hell would want to be trapped in the middle of nowhere with a grumpy ass fool who didn’t even know how to express his feelings?
“Hey, Kels. It’s me,” Devlan said once somebody answered the phone.
“Speaker,” I said as I moved closer to the couch.
I sat down on the couch, making sure that she knew there was no rush. She could take her time on her call, but that didn’t mean I was going to leave her to it alone. I wasn’t that crazy.
“Bitch, I was starting to think you were dead. Why haven’t you been answering your phone?”
“I’m sorry, girl. I broke my phone. I haven’t had time to get a new one,” she said, glancing over at me as she spoke.
“I been by the apartment looking for you. I even went by our job. I was going crazy out here. Do you know that?” the woman fussed.
“I know. I know. I haven’t even been home in a few days. I found a good ass job as a live-in nanny for this mean ass, fine ass recluse,” she explained, looking over at me with a devilish smirk.
How was she so fucking adorable? I didn’t miss the fact that she had called me fine. I definitely didn’t miss the fact that she made sure to emphasize that I was a mean ass recluse.
“You know I love me a mean ass man, girl. They take all that anger and aggression out on you in bed,” her friend raved.
Devlan averted her eyes from me as she laughed at her friend’s statement. “Girl, shut up. Anyway, I just wanted to hit you up because I broke my phone. I knew you had been worried sick, so I borrowed his phone to call you.”
“I was about to file a missing person’s report on you.
I go MIA from time to time but that’s my thing.
I can always find you. Your ass ain’t taking no chances.
I can’t even believe you took this job. Plus, they say that nigga you was messing around with who owns Velvet has been missing in action too.
I was trying to hope that you were just on a baecation or some shit.
You know? You usually don’t make a move like that without telling your girl though.
I’m just in shock right now. I was trying not to think that jackass did something to you. ”
“I’m so sorry, girl. I should have found a way to call you sooner.”
Her friend huffed. “Hmph, you damn sure should have.”
“I just didn’t want to bother him. I really like this job. I’m taking care of two of the sweetest kids in the world. It hardly even feels like work, girl.”
“What does his wife have to say about your pretty ass being there? What does she do that they need a live-in nanny? She must be the vice president of the United States?” Kelsea quizzed.
“He’s not married, Kelsea.”
“OK single dad! You know you love a good single dad romance.”
What did that mean? I made a mental note to look that category up when I ordered the next shipment of books for her. I already had six in my office ready to deliver every day.
“They’re his niece and nephew,” Devlan clarified.
“OK. I like a noble king too. You know he doesn’t have to take care of his sister or brother’s kids, but he does it because he’s a good person. I like it. Hell, we both know how it is for your folks to turn their back on you.”
“Tell me about it,” Devlan mumbled.
“How fine is he, sis? Send me a picture of him,” her friend requested.
“I’m not taking a picture of that man, girl,” Devlan said, chancing a quick look over at me.
“How much is he paying you? It’s gotta be enough to get you to move in.”
“Plus, now I don’t have living expenses, and he has a chef and a maid. The rent on the apartment is paid for the next few months, though, if you need to go there for any reason,” Devlan explained.
“Girl, don’t worry about me. You need to be figuring out how to get that man to put a ring on it. Fuck that perverted ass Brendan. He ain’t shit if he’s letting you live with a sexy, single dad anyway.”
“Why do you say he’s perverted?” Devlan asked.
Apparently, her comment made both our ears perk up.
“You know I told you, he was always making slick ass sexual comments toward the dancers. I know he’s fucking around with some of them, but they hide it from me because everybody knows I’m your girl. I didn’t bother you with all that especially when I knew you were only with him for a reason.”
“Right, it doesn’t matter. You can tell them they don’t have to hide anything from you. I’m done with him.”
“Do you need me to move back home? I’ll come back so I can help you out with the bills.
I don’t want you putting up with a nigga just because you need his help, and I damn sure don’t want you hiding out somewhere in the hills with the monster from Beauty and the Beast just to cut down on your expenses. ”
“That’s not it, baby. I promise,” she said, looking over at me for some reason. “It’s a plus to be able to cut my expenses, but I really like it here. I’ll come see you soon.”
“OK, bitch. I’m holding you to that,” her friend responded.
“I promise.”
“And get you a damn phone so you can send me a picture of hot daddy. What’s his name?” the woman asked.
I shot Devlan a look. I’m sure she knew better than to tell her friend my name, but just in case I kept my eyes on her. She cleared her throat before answering.
“I’m not telling you so you can do a social media search.”
Devlan’s girl simply laughed at her response. “You already know what I was about to do. Call me back when you get a chance, Dev. Don’t make me have to look for you again,” her friend warned.
“I won’t, sis. I promise.”
“We’re all we got, baby.”
“We’re all we got, sis.” Devlan’s voice was shaky, and I was sure her sister picked up on that. “Talk to you soon, OK.”
“Talk to you soon, sis. Love you.”
“Love you too,” Devlan replied before ending the call.
Devlan’s eyes drifted to me cautiously. I didn’t like the heaviness that clouded the room. I wanted to lighten the mood, so I stood.
“Don’t let Sicily hear you calling her a maid,” I joked.
“Oh my God. Did I say that?” she asked, covering her mouth.
“Yes, you did,” I confirmed.
“She already let me know how she wasn’t a maid. She was a housekeeper.”
“She’s even more than that for me. She keeps this whole ship running smoothly while I work my fingers to the bone.”
“Everyone has to rest, Mr. Gray. Even jets have to refuel.”
“I realize. You never told King why you call me Mr. Gray. I never introduced myself to you that way, and I’m not that damn old.”
“I didn’t really think about it. I guess maybe because that’s the way Miguel and Sicily address you. I don’t want them to think anything is different about me.”
“You trying to protect me from their scorn?” he questioned.
“You told me that your business wasn’t their business and that I shouldn’t make them think anything is wrong.”
“You’re good at following directions. I like that.”
“When did you put this up here?” she asked, walking over to the bookshelf.
“While you were doing our little cutie’s hair.”
“Why would you do that?” she quizzed.
“I figured you needed somewhere to put your books,” I stated.
Devlan was compiling quite the collection of books.
Every day since she’d come, I had gotten her two new books, one fiction and one that was non-fiction.
I wasn’t sure what her reading style was or if it changed with her mood like some people’s tended to.
I wanted to make sure she had choices which was why I only gave her a couple of the books at a time.
I also liked the idea of giving them to her gradually.
“But why do it?” she reiterated her question. “Why do any of this? You’re so confusing. At this point, I don’t know what to think.”
I sneered. “You think you’re confused . . . Imagine how I feel. One week with you here and I can barely think straight. My head is all fucked up right now,” I said, tapping the sides of my head with the palms of my hands.
“Hm, maybe you feel bad and want to let me go,” she suggested.
“Good night, Devlan. Take care of my babies up here,” I told her as I drug myself toward the stairs. My feet were on fire. I needed to hurry downstairs so I could take a shower and get in bed listening to my favorite soundtrack; my princess singing to herself while she got ready for bed.